Agenda item
Environmental Sustainability Agenda
This report provides Scrutiny Members with a summary of the work undertaken across key service areas to address the issue of sustainability.
Minutes:
Chris Whyte (Operational Director Community services) presented a report to the committee summarising the work undertaken across key service areas to address the issue of sustainability. It was explained that sustainability was a key factor in the development and provision of all services, though there was no longer a single co-ordinating team or strategy. Five key areas were addressed in the report: transport and travel; air quality; in-house carbon management; street lighting and parking; public realm and waste; and parks and biodiversity.
David Thrale (Head of Regulatory Services) addressed the action being taken in Brent regarding air quality. Members heard that Brent had levels of air pollution that occasionally breached the National Air Quality Standards and that this was an issue of importance nationally. The council’s Air Quality Action Plan was currently being reviewed and an updated plan would be presented to Cabinet in autumn 2015. It was emphasised that scientific understanding of air quality had significantly improved since the existing action plan had been produced; the impact on health and the types of places and activities that exposed people to pollution was now better understood. The new action plan would therefore have a twin focus on reducing emissions of pollutants and helping individuals and communities better understand how the the risk of exposure could be reduced.
In the subsequent discussion, the committee queried the ways in which the council could effect behavioural change regarding waste and recycling amongst residents and businesses. The committee also questioned how retailers could be encouraged to reduce packaging and the financial benefit for the council of improved recycling rates. Members sought further details regarding relationships with partner agencies, such as TFL and Northwest London Hospitals Trust. With regard to the former, it was queried what work had been done to identify pollution hotspots in the borough, whether there was any correlation with bus routes and how active reporting could be encouraged when buses were left running whilst parked. The committee raised several queries regarding air pollutants and the use of diesel fuel, seeking information on when TFL would be introducing non-diesel buses, how the council would encourage the use of non-diesel private and commercial vehicles, how traffic flow could be improved across the borough and the number of charging points provided in Brent for electric vehicles. Further information was sought regarding the work done with property developers across the borough, in recognition of the challenges for the existing infrastructure of increased road users. Officers were also asked to comment on whether consideration had been given to seeking an extension of the Mayor of London’s bike hire scheme. Members requested details of the number of staff responsible for addressing issues of sustainability and whether these were sufficient to support progress in this area.
In response to the queries raised, Chris Whyte advised that a specific team of officers focussed on improving recycling rates and engaging with residents on a day-to-day basis. Businesses were also encouraged to operate sustainably and as of April 2014, the council had made a recycling service available to all Brent businesses. A further example of the work undertaken in this area was the council’s joint lobbying of the packaging industry with other local authorities, which had helped to encourage a significant reduction in the weight of packaging over the past 15 years. Improved recycling rates were realised as a reduction in waste contract costs for the council. Councillor Crane (Lead Member for Environment) added that work was also underway with other local authorities to better understand behaviour around fly-tipping.
Chris Whyte advised that the most polluting form of transport in Brent was rail transport due to the use of diesel fuel. With regard to pollutants from TFL buses, the committee heard from Councillor Crane that he had expressed his concerns regarding the age of the fleet in Brent at recent meeting with TFL Senior Management and had sought the early introduction of the new Routemaster vehicles. This was a desired outcome for all boroughs, though urgent action was being sought for the Kilburn area and the council would continue to press for progress. TFL were experimenting with electric vehicles but it would be a number of years before these were in general use. David Thrale advised that the idling of engines was an offence and fixed penalty notices could be issued.
David Thrale further explained that it was important to continue to encourage the use of petrol, hybrid or electric vehicles and information on the number of electric charging points across the borough could be provided to the committee. However, it was acknowledged that any change over to non-diesel vehicles amongst businesses and the general public was likely to be gradual and it was important to encourage other forms of active travel. A lot of work was undertaken with new developments in brent, including measures such as car free designations and use of parking permits. Businesses were also supported in developing travel plans with an emphasis on sustainability. Councillor Crane advised that the results of a recent consultation on the cycle strategy would be published in a few month’s time and the council was exploring a bike hire scheme along with a number of other boroughs. It was understood that there were no current plans to extend the Mayor of London’s scheme but the council might wish to pursue this.
Addressing members’ queries regarding staffing, David Thrale advised the number of staff who measured air quality and co-ordinated the Air Quality action plan equated to one person and one third full time equivalent manager. However, the number of staff tackling the issue via work with new developments or by exploring active transport amounted to double figures.
The Chair thanked the officers for their presentation to the committee.
RESOLVED:
That an update be provided to the committee regarding the environmental sustainability agenda in six month’s time.
Supporting documents: